Tag: Carr Fire

This is my last week in northern California. Difficult to really understand. After a somewhat chaotic Saturday, yesterday was a great day. If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that my horse Ghost (originally from a hoarding case with minimal contact with people,) has good days when he’s like a puppy dog, and not so good days when he’s scared of everything. Well, Saturday was a not so good day. Sunday was a GREAT day. Different as night and day. I did explain this to the lady that came to see him yesterday. Everything she said, and did, made me convinced that she is the perfect person for Ghost. She was not timid around him, but still very soft, and present in the moment. She also brought a horse that she trained herself, that came from a similar situation as Ghost. She told me how she trained him, and I saw how the horse acted in different situations, during the time she spent getting to know Ghost. I felt very good about it. So did Ghost. He showed his best side to her. It was relatively easy to ask him to get up in her trailer, next to her horse. I am so pleased with how wonderfully it turned out in the end. That relationship, Ghost and this lady, was definitely meant to be. She sent me a text later telling me that everything was good, the trip, and the first hours in his new home went excellent, and that she LOVED his good mind. How could I not be pleased with that? Finding him the perfect home have been the biggest question on my mind, because of his background, and unique personality. He is in the perfect, for him, home now.

I still haven’t bought a car, that was another goal for this past weekend, but I’m not stressing out about that. I have the cash, and cash is king. It will work out. I still have a few days.

Castle Lake, and Castle Lake Trail, with Mt.Shasta in the background. Yesterday the Carr Fire was burning only a few miles from the little town of Castella, where the trailhead to this amazing hike (in the photo above) is located.

Some of you have asked about the fire. These are the latest numbers for the Carr Fire, burning around us.

Size: 201,680 acres

Containment: 61%

Expected Full Containment: Unknown

Fatalities: 3

STRUCTURAL SUMMARY

Structures Threatened: 528

Residential Structures Destroyed: 1,077

Commercial Structures Destroyed: 22

Other Destroyed: 500

Residential Structures Damaged: 191

Commercial Structures Damaged: 26

Other Damaged: 65

Today is also the day when my daughter starts first grade. It’s a big thing. I talked to her for a long time before she went to bed last night. She is very excited. She talked about her teacher, the excitement about making new friends, and showed me her new first day outfit. She also told me that she was not going to be in the same class as her step sister, even thought they are the same age. She did not seem sad about it. They are still going to take the bus together every morning, attend the same school, they share a room, and a bunkbed, they spend all their free time together. From a teacher’s point of view, I am very happy that they are in different classes. I am happy for my daughter that she has a new sister, and I am happy that they get to spend a lot of time together, but from a learning point of view, it is a great thing to separate them during school hours. Maybe some parents think this is shocking, but I know from experience as a teacher, how it holds some children back form reaching their full potential, if they are in the same class as a sibling. Now my daughter have to make her own friends, which she is really good at. She can focus better on the teacher, and actually learning. I know from talking to her on the phone how challenging it is to get her attention, and keep it, when she and her new sister are together. A teacher with maybe 30++ kids in the class would not be able to get her attention. My daughter is well prepared for this day, in every way. She can read and write a little, and is motivated to learn more. Besides English she knows some Spanish, and some Swedish. She excels in math, and knows her numbers up to ten thousand, forwards and backwards. She is interested in geography, and history, having traveled to 48 states herself. I do hope that her teacher sees her potential. She is not shy, but just like me, if she’s focused on something, she’s quiet. A busy person might not understand how much she really knows. I’m looking forward to meeting her teacher, hopefully sooner than later. We have a long line of teachers (and even a principal) in my family, myself included. I know to appreciate a good teacher. It feels weird to not be the one taking my daughter to her first day of school, but I have done everything in my power to prepare her. In the best way I know, and I will be there for her very soon.

Wow, this week have gone by so fast! Maybe it’s the haze, and the smoke in the air that’s lulling me into some kind of dream land?Or maybe it’s the fact that I’m in the middle of planning, an unexpected move to another state? I don’t know. How is your week so far? Grab a cup of coffee and tell me about it!

How are things here? Well, things are going really good. Unexpectedly smooth. The pieces are just coming together one by one. I’ve found wonderful homes for my horses. They are leaving Saturday (tomorrow…) That is such a great relief. I couldn’t be happier with their new homes. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to them. My intention was to keep them for life. Knowing that they couldn’t get better homes makes it easier. The first person who looked at Fancy bought her, and her friend wanted Ghost. Just perfect. My intuition tells me that they are really good people.

I’ve packed all the things I’m planning to bring with me when I move, sold some of the bigger items, and donated the rest to fire victims. I feel light, and ready for new adventures. I’m working my last day here in California on the 20th. Only ten days from now! My goal is to find a reliable car this weekend, and sell my old truck as soon as I have another vehicle. That’s basically the only thing left to do. That is totally doable. I’m going to work a little extra these last days, which is just perfect. I’m slowly finishing up in my garden. I’ve given all my container fruit trees, and plants, to a friend. My tomatoes, yellow squash, and cucumber are still giving a good harvest every day. I’m harvesting in the mornings, and water a little, but I’m not doing much else in the garden. It’s going to go towards it’s natural end eventually. A garden in our extreme climate take a lot of work every day, and there’s no-one that’s going to do the work when I leave. It’s been a fun summer gardening wise. I’m very happy.

A post shared by MJ (@sagittariusviking) on Aug 9, 2018 at 11:28am PDT

I have several job, and housing offers waiting in Nevada. I want to see things with my own eyes, and meet people, before deciding. That said, I know what I want. When I’m there it’s not going to take a long time to decide. I wish to get into some kind of normal routine as soon as possible.

I know that there’s been an unusual little amount of photos lately. I’s due to the fire. It’s dangerous to spend a lot of time outside in that smoke. The Carr Fire is now 178,752 acres and 49% contained. Still very smoky. I’m trying to be smart about it. I can’t wait to breath some fresh air, without a mask. I promise to make up for the lack of photos when I start my upcoming road trip. I’m actually excited about the drive. I’ve always enjoyed road trips, and their photo opportunities. As you probably know 🙂

Weekend Coffee Share is a time for us to take a break out of our lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new)!

Grab a cup of coffee and share with us! What’s been going on in your life? What are your weekend plans? Is there a topic you’ve just been ruminating on that you want to talk about? All are welcome!

I realized that I did not write a post this morning. Just want to let you know that I am safe from the fire. It is still burning at 163,207 acres, with a 45% containment, as of this morning. The winds are moving the fire further away. The city of Redding is not in danger anymore, other smaller communities are. It is a good thing that the the Carr Fire is getting a little more contained by the day. Neighborhoods have Raking Parties! Neighbors gather together with rakes, and help each other go through the ashes. Phew. It almost feels wrong to have been spared from the worst of the worst. We’re still wearing face masks outside. The smoke is thick.

It’s been a super busy day today. I took care of the horses at work this morning, and then my own. I’ve given away some of my trees and plants. I won’t be able to take them with me when I move to another state. You can’t bring plants. Which is sad in a way, but a dear friend of mine is going to enjoy them a lot. That makes me incredibly happy. Then I didn’t do all that work for nothing. My friend makes these most exquisite metal work. She made this rose for me, isn’t absolutely beautiful? I feel so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life.

I’m a minimalist and I purposely don’t have a lot of “stuff” laying around, but I do highly appreciate the few decorative items that I do have. The all have a special meaning. This rose from my friend will definitely be one of those precious things with a special meaning.

I’ve started to downsize things that I don’t need to take with me to my new home. Yesterday I sold two saddles, and some other tack I had in my tack room. This morning I notified the lady I work for, and she was so understanding, and kind. I know it will be troublesome for her to have to train someone new, but she was so sweet. She knows how serious I take motherhood, and moving closer to my daughter is something that she could understand.

There’s a gentleman coming to look at my horse Ghost on Thursday. I have not put an ad up on Fancy yet, still there’s two people interested in her. I am mostly concerned about getting Ghost into a good home, since he isn’t trained, that is more challenging. Not so many people can responsibly take on an untrained horse. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the gentleman that is going to look at him on Thursday. Our phone conversation was very promising. I think he would be a great match. Finding wonderful homes for Ghost and Fancy is my number one priority these next coming days. After that everything will be relatively easy. I’m fairly sure it will be easy to find Fancy a home, even though her hooves is not 100% yet. They will be soon, and she is a very nice, trained, registered horse, with zero vices that I’m aware of. In fact she’s the easiest horse I ever owned.

When I’ve found the horses new homes, I’m going to sell my truck, and buy a car. Buy then I pretty much should have my other possessions figured out, and packed the things I want to bring. I’m going to donate a lot of things, and clothes to Goodwill. I usually do that every spring, and every fall. I don’t like collecting things that aren’t being used. The move is going to be fairly easy. I might even have a job, with housing lined up. Nothing is set in stone, but it felt promising. It’s less than an hour from my daughter’s new home. My timeline is to be on my way by the end of this month, if everything works in my favor. Now you know my game plan. I believe it is totally doable. I am a doer. When I decide something, things happens, and I can be rather stubborn (or goal oriented) about it. It’s been a productive day today. I hope you had an awesome day!

..and I’m going to have to figure out a new name for this blog, NorCal won’t do when I don’t live in NorCal anymore…I’ll have to think about that one.